# Steve Ma

Stephen Ma Jingtao (Chinese: 馬景濤; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Má Kéng-tô; born 14 February 1962) is a Taiwanese actor best known for acting in many Taiwanese, mainland Chinese and Singaporean television series since the early 1990s. Most of the more notable television series he acted in are of the wuxia and historical drama genres. Some of his notable roles in television series include: Zhang Wuji in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (1994); Lü Dongbin in Legend of the Eight Immortals (1999); Linghu Chong in The Legendary Swordsman (2000); Dorgon in Xiaozhuang Mishi (2002); Nurhaci in Taizu Mishi (2005); King Zhou of Shang in The Legend and the Hero (2007).

## Early life

Ma was born and raised in Taichung County, Taiwan, as the second of four children in his family. His ancestral home is in Suizhong County, Liaoning, China. He attended National Taichung Second Senior High School and graduated from Taipei World News Vocational School's Department of Radio and Television with a certificate in journalism.

## Career

Ma started his acting career by appearing in minor roles in Taiwanese television series such as The Former Husband, The Morning Fog and Guilty, before making his film debut in Spring Swallow in 1989. In the same year, he was nominated for the Golden Bell Award for Best Actor for portraying Zhang Changgui in Spring Come Again After Leave. He was nominated for the Golden Bell Award for Best Actor again in 1990 for his role as Luo Zhigang in Xue Ke.
In 1994, Ma starred as Zhang Wuji alongside Hong Kong actresses Kathy Chow and Cecilia Yip in the Taiwanese wuxia television series The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, an adaptation of the wuxia novel of the same title by Louis Cha. In 1998, he portrayed Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals in Chinese mythology, in the Singaporean television series Legend of the Eight Immortals. In 2000, he starred as Linghu Chong in the Singaporean television series The Legendary Swordsman, an adaptation of the wuxia novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer by Louis Cha.
Ma became more prominent in television after portraying the Qing dynasty regent Dorgon in the 2002 Chinese historical television series Xiaozhuang Mishi, which reached the top position in viewership when it was aired in mainland China and Taiwan. In 2003, he portrayed the Qing dynasty prince Yunreng in Huang Taizi Mishi. He starred as Nurhaci, the founder of the Qing dynasty, in the 2005 Chinese television series Taizu Mishi.
In 2007, Ma starred as the antagonist King Zhou of Shang in The Legend and the Hero, a 2007 Chinese television series adapted from the 16th century Chinese mythological fantasy novel Fengshen Yanyi. In 2012, he appeared as King Fuchai of Wu in the Chinese historical television series The Legend of Xishi.

## Personal life

Ma was twice married. His first marriage was to Tang Yun (唐韻) and they have a daughter, Ma Shiyuan (馬世媛; born 1991). After divorcing Tang in 1993, he married Chinese actress Wu Jia'ni (吳佳妮) in 2007; the couple divorced in 2017. They have two children, Ma Shitian (馬世天) and Ma Shixin (馬世心).

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Role |
| 1989 | Spring Swallow | 晚春情事 | |
| 1990 | Honor Thy Father | 感恩岁月 | |
| 1991 | When Dreams Come True | 明月几时圆 | |
| 1994 | | 海角危情 | Du Weigen |
| 2012 | Lu Junyi | 玉麒麟卢俊义 | Lu Junyi |
| 2015 | Baby, Sorry | 宝贝，对不起 | |

### Television

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | | 星星的故乡 | Jiang Yiping | |
| 1985 | The Morning Fog | 晓雾 | | |
| 1985 | | 我们都是这样上当的 | | |
| 1985 | | 情爱三章之第二章：协力车再见 | | |
| 1985 | | 也是冬天 | | |
| 1985 | | 孤剑恩仇记 | Qiu Dongli | |
| 1986 | | 实习医生的故事 | | |
| 1986 | | 1986凤还巢 | | |
| 1986 | | 一万里外 | | |
| 1986 | | 老树浓荫 | | |
| 1986 | | 特种芳邻 | | |
| 1986 | Guilty | 罪爱 | | |
| 1986 | | 梧桐夜雨 | Kang Yizhen | |
| 1987 | | 绮夫人的故事 | | |
| 1987 | The Former Husband | 前夫 | | |
| 1987 | | 冷月孤星剑 | Qin Bin | |
| 1987 | | 花落春犹在 | | |
| 1988 | | 意乱情迷 | Fang Jiazhi | |
| 1988 | | 谁杀了大明星 | Yang Ming | |
| 1989 | Spring Come Again After Leave | 春去春又回 | Zhang Changgui | |
| 1989 | | 缘定今生 | Song Yalun | |
| 1989 | | 情深无怨尤 | Wen Lichen | |
| 1990 | Xue Ke | 雪珂 | Luo Zhigang | |
| 1990 | | 家有贵夫 | Feng Fan'gao | |
| 1990 | | 没有合约的爱情 | Wei Changfeng/ Wei Changlin | |
| 1990 | | 末代儿女情 | Tong Cheng'en | |
| 1990 | | 刺客列传 | Crown Prince Dan | |
| 1991 | | 七亿新娘 | Li Xiang | |
| 1992 | | 戏说慈喜 | Sushun | |
| 1992 | Green Green Grass By The River | 青青河边草 | He Shiwei | |
| 1993 | | 梅花三弄：梅花烙 | Hao Zhen | |
| 1993 | | 梅花三弄：水云间 | Mei Ruohong | |
| 1994 | The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber | 倚天屠龙记 | Zhang Cuishan/ Zhang Wuji | |
| 1994 | | 人面桃花 | Cui Hu | |
| 1995 | Huang Feihong and Shi Sanyi | 黄飞鸿与十三姨 | Qi Tianci | |
| 1995 | | 今生今世 | Ye Yilong/ Liu Hanxing | |
| 1995 | | 包青天之侠骨神算 | Shao Yong | |
| 1996 | The New Longmen Roadhouse | 新龙门客栈 | Zhou Huai'an | |
| 1996 | The Good Old Days | 再见艳阳天 | Fong Ho Sang/ Chen Kang | |
| 1996 | | 计中计状元财之偷天换日 | Fu Jingyang | |
| 1997 | Love Is Payable | 侬本多情 | Bai Lang | |
| 1997 | Fated Love | 天长地久 | Fu Sounam | |
| 1998 | Legend of the Eight Immortals | 东游记 | Lü Dongbin | |
| 1998 | | 明天有你 | Liang Guanglei | |
| 1999 | The Legendary Swordsman | 笑傲江湖 | Linghu Chong | |
| 2000 | | 奈何花 | Xu Tingwen | |
| 2000 | | 新蜀山剑侠 | Ding Yin | |
| 2001 | | 家族利益 | Liu Shishen | |
| 2001 | | 移山倒海樊梨花 | Xue Dingshan/Xiang Yu | |
| 2001 | The Legendary Siblings | 绝世双骄 | Ba Dao | guest |
| 2002 | Xiaozhuang Mishi | 孝庄秘史 | Dorgon | |
| 2002 | | 春花秋月 | Liu Zhenbang | |
| 2003 | Huang Taizi Mishi | 皇太子秘史 | Yunreng | |
| 2003 | Love in a Miracle | 爱在有情天 | Sum Yau Yin / Suen Yau Yin | |
| 2004 | | 魔界之龙珠 | Cha Mulong | |
| 2004 | | 为你燃烧 | Wen Feng | |
| 2005 | Taizu Mishi | 太祖祕史 | Nurhaci | |
| 2005 | The Jade King | 翡翠王 | Tang Yuren | |
| 2005 | The Legend and the Hero | 封神榜封神榜 | King Zhou of Shang | |
| 2008 | | 东归英雄 | Wobaxi | |
| 2008 | | 一路夫妻 | Qiu Yingjie | |
| 2011 | The Legend of Xishi | 西施秘史 | King Fuchai of Wu | |

## Theater

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Death of a Salesman | 推销员之死 | Buf | |
| 2008 | Like Shadows | 如影随行 | Da Qiao | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Title | Award | Result |
| 1989 | Spring Come Again After Leave | Golden Bell Award for Best Actor | Nominated |
| 1990 | Xue Ke | Golden Bell Award for Best Actor | Nominated |
| 2005 | | Drama Festival - Favorite Actor | Won |
| 2012 | | Anhui Television - Asian Idol Award | Won |